Inviting local players to the Black Stars will build their confidence – Sam Johnson

Former Black Stars player Sam Johnson has highlighted the importance of including local players in the national team, stating that doing so will help build their confidence.He suggested that some home-based players should be called up for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers, where Ghana will face Angola in Luanda and then Niger at the Accra Sports Stadium.The four-time African champions have struggled in their AFCON qualifying series, currently sitting with just two points from four matches. A defeat in their upcoming games could mean missing out on the AFCON tournament scheduled to take place in Morocco.In an interview with Graphic Sports, Johnson expressed his desire to see local players get opportunities in these crucial matches. I really want the local guys to go and play in these last AFCON matches, he said. We could bring in local players and add a few foreign-based ones to give them exposure. It will help build their confidence and morale.However, he acknowledged the challenges of selecting local players due to the perceived low standard of the Ghana Premier League. The question is, which of these players would you invite? Based on what Ive seen, Im not confident. Our leagues standard is low, and you cant call up these players if we want to avoid heavy losses, he added.Head Coach Otto Addo is expected to announce his squad for these crucial encounters in the coming days, as the Black Stars aim to turn around their fortunes in the qualifiers.